Major consumer companies including Unilever, Procter & Gamble and Nestle are chasing consumers who want food and household goods delivered automatically, even though this kind of business has not always worked. The companies are pitching new online subscription services, which promise stable revenues, lower delivery costs and valuable data about customers. The world's biggest packaged food company, Nestle, whose Nespresso coffee is already a sizeable subscription business, recently launched a subscription programme for nutritional drinks in Japan and expanded ReadyRefresh, an online bottled water service, in the United States.

Major consumer companies including Unilever (ULVR.L), Procter & Gamble (PG.N) and Nestle (NESN.S) are chasing consumers who want food and household goods delivered automatically, even though this kind of business has not always worked. The companies are pitching new online subscription services, which promise stable revenues, lower delivery costs and valuable data about customers. The world's biggest packaged food company, Nestle, whose Nespresso coffee is already a sizeable subscription business, recently launched a subscription program for nutritional drinks in Japan and expanded ReadyRefresh, an online bottled water service, in the United States.

The unique offering of Shopify (NYSE: SHOP) for business owners keeps competitors out of the space. So markets may expect another round of strong quarterly earnings.
Last quarter, the company reported profits and revenue that beat consensus last quarter. This time, the only unpredictable near-term risk is whether or not the stock's valuation will bring selling pressure.
In light of markets getting skittish, a correction in the share price may create an entry point.
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### Strong Momentum and Shopify Stock
Shopify added shipping features that help merchants sell more and work more effectively. Its users are getting benefits from the partner ecosystem. And the launch of its new App Store last September is leading to meaningful conversation rate increases for app installations after the user performs a search.
Shopify's profit margin keeps growing because the features it develops also adds value at the transaction levels. As revenue from merchants grows, so does GMV.
This is a win-win for both Shopify stock and its customers. On its conference call, management mentioned Fraud Protect as an example of a feature that adds value for the merchant by preventing fraudulent charge-backs. In return, Shopify earns a small fee for the service.
### Shopify Plus and Shopify Stock
Ahead of the busy holiday season, hundreds of fast-growing merchants joined Shopify Plus. The offering primarily targets big retailers. For instance, The Brick and Leon's Furniture is a large-sized firm in Canada that is signed up for Shopify Plus.
Unilever (NYSE: UL) is a Shopify Plus client. Even more potentially valuable as a growth catalyst is the addition of licensed cannabis stores fronts. After Canada legalized cannabis on Oct. 17, 2018, Shopify will definitely benefit from more and more companies opening up.
### Cannabis a Positive Catalyst
Limited supply and unknown regulatory changes in cannabis is a potential headwind limiting Shopify's growth. If markets priced in much of the growth ahead on the basis of companies making billions in sales, SHOP stock is at risk of falling.
Still, management did not model for exuberant growth from the legalization of cannabis. In fact, it is broadening its market geographically to capture growth.
### Global Growth
Shopify recognizes the importance of international markets for expansion. With 70% of the largest e-commerce markets being non-English speaking, Shopify must localize its platform in each region it enters.
In Germany, Shopify tailored Shopify Payments to accept not just credit card payments but also local bank transfers. This approach, customizing the uniqueness of the German markets, will likely result in strong growth in this region.
### Shopify Still Losing Money
Despite the highlights as mentioned above, plus the 55% Y/Y GMV expansion to $10 billion, Shopify still reported an adjusted operating loss of $3.6 million in the third quarter. Its adjusted net income was $4.5 million or just $0.04 a share. It ended Q3 with $1.6 billion in cash and cash equivalents.
The profits look small but fast-growing firms like Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN) reported losses and minuscule profits for years before the stock topped out at over $2000 a share in the last year.
### Outlook
Shopify raised its forecast for the full year. It now expects revenue growing 55% and in the range of $1.45 billion and $1.55 billion. Operating income will be $8 million to $10 million.
For the fourth quarter report, scheduled for Feb. 14, the firm expects revenue of $315 million - $325 million. Adjusted income will be between $16 and $18 million. Shopify will also spend $30 million in stock-based compensation in that period and $105 million for the full year.
### Limited Risk to Growth
Shopify is not likely to report slowing growth in the near-term. Even though it is attracting big customers, its primary market is the small and medium merchant.
Its Shopify Plus targets such businesses and is not an area competitors are as interested in. So for the foreseeable future, expect the pricing model to stay the same, which in turn will lead to more merchants signing up.
Disclosure: the author does not own shares in any of the companies mentioned.
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The post Here's Why Shopify Stock Should Have Another Great Quarter appeared first on InvestorPlace.

Today we'll evaluate Unilever PLC (LON:ULVR) to determine whether it could have potential as an investment idea. Specifically, we'll consider its Return On Capital Employed (ROCE), since that will give
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Dependable dividend stocks that routinely grow their payouts are welcome in any environment. But they seem especially attractive nowadays.
Stock market volatility is back with a vengeance. The Dow Jones Industrial Average went from powering ahead to an all-time high of 26,828 on Oct. 3 to losing 8% in the span of about three weeks. These kinds of rocky markets tend to give investors motion sickness. But they can add a dose of Dramamine to their portfolios - in the form of reliable dividend-growth stocks.
"Dividend growers, which tend to be quality companies, have generally shown greater resilience in unsteady markets and could address concerns about dividend stocks in a rising-rate environment," write Tianyin Cheng, director of strategy and ESG Indices at S&P; Dow Jones Indices; and Vinit Srivastava, head of strategy and ESG indices at S&P; Dow Jones Indices. "This argument applies to not only to the U.S. large-cap space, but it also extends to small- and mid-cap segments and international markets."
Dividend stocks - both at home and abroad - with long track records of rock-solid rising payments tend to generate superior returns over long periods of time and can help investors weather shorter periods of market turbulence.
This is a look at the most reliable long-term dividend stocks in the world. Dubbed the "Dividend Aristocrats," they have raised dividends for at least five straight years (Canadian firms), 10 years (E.U.-based firms) or 25 years (U.S. companies). Such stocks provide reliable and rising income streams - and a sense of security that will help you sleep better at night. We've listed them here alphabetically; take a look.
### SEE ALSO: 25 Stocks Every Retiree Should Own

"Advertising has to have a role in society, advertising has to offer a value exchange back," says Good-Loop founder Amy Williams. "If it is just there to sell more crap you don't need, it's not doing anything useful, therefore it'll just get ad-blocked, it'll just get ignored."

Family, football and motorcycling were just as important. When he takes over as Chief Executive Officer of Unilever on Jan. 1, investors are unlikely to see it that way. Jope will succeed Paul Polman, who ran the consumer goods giant for a decade. Although shareholder returns were impressive during his tenure, the Dutch grandee divided investors almost as much as the company’s Marmite brand.

Seventh Generation’s smaller bottle is five pounds lighter than its standard bottle, but since the detergent is more concentrated, it still washes the same number of loads. Seventh Generation is a product of Unilever (NYSE:UL). The new Seventh Generation bottle was tested at a laboratory to make sure it could withstand the Amazon delivery process, Jerica Young, Seventh Generation's senior packaging engineer, told the Times. PackWorld, a publication for the packaging industry, reported that almost 30 percent of manufacturers are looking at reducing carton sizes and unnecessary fillers. Nearly three-fourths, 72 percent, said they are “looking for materials with greater durability to prevent product damage.” “E-commerce products need to be more durable and stronger to survive the distribution channel,” a packaging engineer for nutritional supplements noted.

World-class money managers like Ken Griffin and Barry Rosenstein only invest their wealthy clients’ money after undertaking a rigorous examination of any potential stock. They are particularly successful in this regard when it comes to small-cap stocks, which their peerless research gives them a big information advantage on when it comes to judging their worth. […]

The German food retailer Kaufland on Friday said that it was dropping Unilever (ULVR.L) products from its shelves to protest against price increases. Kaufland, which operates 660 stores in Germany, said that it had tried to reach a solution since May with Unilever but its offers were rejected. Unilever, citing confidential customer relationships, declined to comment.

will retire from the company in May, the consumer-products giant said Thursday. Mr. Weed, 57 years old, has been at Unilever for 35 years. . The company, along with its rivals, faces many challenges, including a shift in consumer tastes.

The chief marketing officer of Unilever (ULVR.L)(UNc.AS) has decided to retire next year, handing incoming CEO Alan Jope his first big hiring decision. CMO Keith Weed, who oversees the marketing strategy of the world's second-biggest advertiser, announced his retirement on Thursday in a series of posts on Twitter. "It's with a happy and heavy heart that I've decided to retire from Unilever in April," Weed said on Twitter.

The chief marketing officer of Unilever (ULVR.L)(UNc.AS) has decided to retire next year, handing incoming CEO Alan Jope his first big hiring decision. CMO Keith Weed, who oversees the marketing strategy of the world's second-biggest advertiser, announced his retirement on Thursday in a series of posts on Twitter. "It's with a happy and heavy heart that I've decided to retire from Unilever in April," Weed said on Twitter.

Unilever boss Paul Polman, quitting months after shareholders scuppered his plan to base company headquarters in the Netherlands, signed off with a typical mixture of advice and philosophy in his last message to investors. The 62-year-old Dutchman, who will be replaced next month by company veteran Alan Jope, is known for his vision of a company with a commitment to sustainability and ethics.

Moody's Investors Service has today changed to negative from stable the outlook of GlaxoSmithKline plc (GSK) and its guaranteed subsidiaries. The change in outlook follows the company's 3 December announcement of its intention to acquire Tesaro for $5.1 billion. At the same time, Moody's has affirmed GSK's A2/(P)A2 long-term and (P)Prime-1 ratings.

Unilever's (ULVR.L) (UNc.AS) incoming chief executive Alan Jope plans to stick to the 2020 targets set by his predecessor Paul Polman, Jope said on Tuesday, confirming a message of continuity set last week by the company chairman. Following last year's unsolicited $143 billion takeover attempt by Kraft-Heinz (KHC.O), the maker of Dove soap and Hellmann's mayonnaise said it would lift its operating margin to 20 percent by 2020, up from 16.4 percent in 2016. Some observers have worried that the margin target could lead to cost cuts in marketing that could hurt long-term sales growth.

Unilever's (ULVR.L) (UNc.AS) incoming chief executive Alan Jope plans to stick to the 2020 targets set by his predecessor Paul Polman, Jope said on Tuesday, confirming a message of continuity set last week by the company chairman. Following last year's unsolicited $143 billion (111.54 billion pounds) takeover attempt by Kraft-Heinz (KHC.O), the maker of Dove soap and Hellmann's mayonnaise said it would lift its operating margin to 20 percent by 2020, up from 16.4 percent in 2016. Unilever announced last week that Jope would succeed Polman.